Why Wild and Scenic River Designation?
Preserve character
Ensure free-flowing, life-sustaining flow within the Upper Verde’s canyons, as well as clean water supplies.
Maintain continued access
Conserve important community values like scenery, wildlife, recreation, access to hunting and fishing, and Verde Valley agriculture.
Protect critical habitat
Providing abundant fish and wildlife habitat from its headwaters to the town of Clarkdale, the Upper Verde faces unprecedented threats from drought, diminished flow, pollution, unmanaged recreation, and invasive species.
Ensure a clean water supply
The Verde River is one of the most ecologically healthy and economically important free-flowing rivers remaining in Arizona.
A Wild and Scenic Upper Verde would bring more resources for management, protect our water supplies, and maintain the river and its remarkable ecosystem as it is for future generations.
Area proposed for Wild & Scenic River designation
From community input we’ve received – and we welcome further public input – we’re proposing the following river segments: 44 miles of the Upper Verde, 30 miles of Sycamore Creek, and 2 miles of Granite Creek for a total of 76 river miles and over 24,000 acres of riverside lands.
Rivers are the lifeblood of Arizona’s desert landscapes but most have been lost, destroyed, or degraded. The Upper Verde remains a refuge for wildlife and nature for people to enjoy and appreciate. Let’s keep it that way!
